News
First Iowa turkey farm begins restocking after AI virus
Restocking is underway on the Brad Moline turkey farm near Manson, Iowa. (Photo courtesy Iowa Turkey Federation)
A northwest Iowa turkey farm hit by the avian influenza virus in late May has started to restock with young birds.
The Brad Moline farm near Manson is the first turkey farm in the state to begin restocking. And Gretta Irwin, executive director of the Iowa Turkey Federation, says others are close behind.
“Others will be following suit quite soon,” Irwin says, “and I’m expecting that, by mid-December, all of the barns will be restocked and repopulated with those turkeys.”
AUDIO: Gretta Irwin
Iowa secretary of agriculture Bill Northey says Iowa’s egg industry is also recovering from the avian flu crisis. But he says it will be a slower process for egg producers.
“I think we’ll have some birds in all of the farms, probably, by the end of the year,” Northey says. “But some of the farms won’t be clear full because it’s going to take time to be able to get the pullets into the buildings and be able to have everything ready. So I think the layers will be a little farther off than the turkeys.”
AUDIO: Bill Northey
The Iowa Poultry Association says a full restoration of the egg industry in Iowa could take more than a year.
Add Comment